jobless rate at 10.6..............and the beats goes on

State jobless rate hits 10.6 percent in MayScott Olson - solson@ibj.comIBJ staffIndiana's unemployment rate in May again topped double digits, after falling slightly the previous month.The state lost more than 15,000 jobs as its seasonally adjusted jobless rate hit 10.6 percent, according to figures released this morning by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. It had dipped to 9.9 percent in April after reaching 10 percent in March.The number of unemployed Hoosiers rose to 336,451 in May from 315,205 in April.The manufacturing sector again helped to drive the job losses. The hard-hit industry shed 3.5 percent of its work force in May and employs nearly 18 percent fewer workers than it did a year earlier. Construction and financial sectors also suffered large losses.
"As expected, extended furloughs and layoffs in the U.S. auto industry greatly affected Indiana's employment picture in May," Work Force Commissioner Teresa Voors said in a written statement. "Indiana may see the ripple effect over the next few months as suppliers, dealerships and other service providers adjust to the new business models of the domestic auto companies."The Indianapolis metro area's non-seasonally adjusted rate increased slightly from a revised 8.2 percent in April to 8.5 percent last month, according to the report. The number of unemployed in the area rose from 72,837 to 76,632, an increase of 3,795.Non-seasonally adjusted figures are most accurately compared with the same month in prior years. Joblessness in the Indianapolis area was 4.6 percent in May 2008.In the Midwest, Michigan again reported the highest jobless rate at 14.1 percent in May. Illinois has the lowest rate among Indiana's neighboring states at 10.1 percent.In Indiana, Howard County had the highest unemployment rate, 19.3 percent. There, Kokomo was hammered by temporary shutdowns of four Chrysler plants due to the automaker's bankruptcy.Hamilton County's rate of 6.6 percent is the third-lowest.